What to see around Santa Marta

Santa Marta is not so special itself, but there is some things around you would like to get to know. As Santa Marta has not much to offer except lots of mosquitoes, I recommend to spend as few time as possible within Santa Marta (and use enough repellent I saw the tiger mosquito flying around). If you like it more touristy Taganga, a small fishermans village next to Santa Marta is the place to stay.

Tayrona National Park

Leave all the unnecessary things in the hostel, pack your backpack with food and get lost in the park for some days. Or you can do a nice daytrip, starting at 8am. The entrance fee is 65’000 Col$ (20.55$) at maximum. Somebody told me the fee changes depending on the week day.

To get there take a bus (7’000 Col$/2.20$) directing to Palomino at Carrera 9 between Calle 11 & 12 in Santa Marta and hop off at Tayrona National Park. After the entrance process, which requires a passport, you can take a colectivo (3’000 Col$/0.95$) to the beginning of the tracks.

At the beginning (right hand of the building) there is a small circle route leading to a viewpoint and a nice beach and lined with egg shaped stones with sentences to meditate about. It takes about 45 mins to walk the circle.

The usual track everybody does starts on the other side of the building. It starts easy and gets more difficult towards the end. The beach at the Cabo San Juan is not the nicest of them, so if you only do a daytrip I’d recommend to spend more time in la piscina instead. Furthermore that last part of the track can get pretty muddy in the rain season.

For having a nice stay I recommend to go during the week. Food in the park is expensive, the only vegan option, rice with veggies is 23’000 Col$ (7/25$). You will see pretty skinny horses doing exhausting work (carrying tourists).

Minca

Minca is a village in the Sierra Nevada. It’s a good spot to start trecks to hidden waterfalls, coffee fincas and mystical forests or to do river rafting or just hang around. It’s also good to cool down, as temperatures are not so hot there.

To get to Minca you also take a bus at Carrera 9 between Calle 11 & 12 in Santa Marta. It costs 8’000 Col$ (2.50$).

I stayed in the Coco Bomgo, a friendly, warm welcoming, professional hostel, which offers breakfast according to your diet. Vegan is even understood as low fat, salt and sugar free diet (besides being plant based of course).

Palomino

Palomino is a beach village situated exactly between Santa Marta and Ríohacha. There are more hotels and hostels, than you can think of and the beach is of ordinary beauty. So if you don’t plan beach holidays, there is no reason to go there. The bus to Palomino costs 20’000 Col$ (6.30 $).

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